Anyone looking at the new opencaching.com site from garmin yet? I think they just went live in beta (was down yesterday).

I took a look. Just place and go with no review process? Can't wait for caches to show up feet from caches already in play. Also, coords for caches are displayed even if you aren't signed in. Caches placed in parks that require a permit is going to give caching a bad name. All in all, Can you say can of worms?

The problem with not reviewing caches (and this comes off a little odd given my new duties, but as a cacher with a deep interest in caching in the state and regulations with various entities I say it anyway) is that we're going to end up with a bunch of caches in off-limits areas or (worse yet) in areas that require things such as registration.

Places like Three Rivers will suddenly loose their ability to regulate what's going on in their parks, and I'm afraid that one or more districts will consider shutting the gates to caching as a way of fixing the problem that will be perceived as "cachers that can't play by the rules"._________________Hmm...

I learned about it from the Groundspeak forums, where there has been some rather intensive discussions.

I see this morning that WestSideDaddy registered a cache there since I looked yesterday, making three in the metro so far. There are two down south, west of Rochester that are hidden by someone that seems to be a developer for the site (my guess).

At this point, there is still a lot of functionality missing that will be required for it to be any real competition, but the existence of an API will give them an edge. In fact, just yesterday, Groundspeak announced that they will be providing an API to the public.

I have to agree with Pear Head that this could be a very bad thing for geocaching in general. Yeah, we've had a couple of other listing sites around for quite a while, as well as letterboxing, but none of them have really provided any real competition.

This will be interesting to watch, in any case!_________________Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Don't drink & deriv

I learned about it from the Groundspeak forums, where there has been some rather intensive discussions.

I see this morning that WestSideDaddy registered a cache there since I looked yesterday, making three in the metro so far. There are two down south, west of Rochester that are hidden by someone that seems to be a developer for the site (my guess).

At this point, there is still a lot of functionality missing that will be required for it to be any real competition, but the existence of an API will give them an edge. In fact, just yesterday, Groundspeak announced that they will be providing an API to the public.

I have to agree with Pear Head that this could be a very bad thing for geocaching in general. Yeah, we've had a couple of other listing sites around for quite a while, as well as letterboxing, but none of them have really provided any real competition.

This will be interesting to watch, in any case!

Not sure where I stand. I like having everything centralized in one spot at geocaching.com but then I am against monopolies.

I did register on the site so I could lock in my username and I did cross-post one of my caches just to see how it worked.

I was really surprised about the no reviewer thing.

I'm not all that impressed with the site myself. They are tying to be all fancy ajax and smart phone app-ish in their design, but it leave a lot of uncertainty if the site is loading a new page or just sitting there.

I do like the more open API using OAUth so that anyone can develop apps and interfaces, but I agree there's a lot of work to go to actually compete.

All the bells and whistles aside, building a geocache registry site isn't that complex, an experienced developer could write it in a week, but the big thing is the marketing of it. Getting people to come and start listing sites. When you have GC with millions of users and caches, it's hard to get a critical mass of users to switch.

If you can appeal to a niche (like chirp-ers) then you have something to work from.

If nothing else, hopefully it will spur groundspeak to make more improvements.

I'd like to know one advantage of publishing a cache on a site other than our friendly monopoly. And by advantage I mean something that has a net positive impact that Groundspeak doesn't offer. Anyone?_________________Sig line? I don't need no stinking sig line!

I'd like to know one advantage of publishing a cache on a site other than our friendly monopoly. And by advantage I mean something that has a net positive impact that Groundspeak doesn't offer. Anyone?

At this point, I can't think of any. Therefore, I am sticking with the monopoly until there's a viable alternative.

If the new site is smart, they will very quickly come up with a workable solution for group caching. That is something that an awful lot of cachers have been wanting for a long time, but a need that Groundspeak has continually refused to address._________________Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Don't drink & deriv

If the new site is smart, they will very quickly come up with a workable solution for group caching. That is something that an awful lot of cachers have been wanting for a long time, but a need that Groundspeak has continually refused to address.

mygeocachingprofile.com has been working on a program to help with that. They are going to call it 'Caching with Friends'. I think it would be a great thing._________________"We never seek things for themselves-what we seek is the very seeking of things"-Pascal

If the new site is smart, they will very quickly come up with a workable solution for group caching. That is something that an awful lot of cachers have been wanting for a long time, but a need that Groundspeak has continually refused to address.

mygeocachingprofile.com has been working on a program to help with that. They are going to call it 'Caching with Friends'. I think it would be a great thing.

Ahh, I've been seeing that site's name here and there recently, but haven't checked them out yet. I will do that!

Left you a PM on the GC forums, by the way._________________Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Don't drink & deriv

If the new site is smart, they will very quickly come up with a workable solution for group caching. That is something that an awful lot of cachers have been wanting for a long time, but a need that Groundspeak has continually refused to address.

mygeocachingprofile.com has been working on a program to help with that. They are going to call it 'Caching with Friends'. I think it would be a great thing.

Ahh, I've been seeing that site's name here and there recently, but haven't checked them out yet. I will do that!

Left you a PM on the GC forums, by the way.

Uh oh._________________"We never seek things for themselves-what we seek is the very seeking of things"-Pascal